I Figured it Out
Apr. 21st, 2007 11:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
forsythYou know how I've been baffled by the people who insist against all evidence that unless we Do Something Now, Muslim Extremists Will Take Over the World? (Doing Something usually seems to mean "bomb a bunch of people who don't look like me.") Well I figured out why such inanity is so widespread.
It's exactly the same as the old "Communists are going to take over the world!" memes, just with "Islamic Fundamentalism" replacing Communism at every point. And it has as little basis in reality as the former. But people like it because it lets them feel like they're the Last Defenders of the Good and Pure in the Face of the Oncoming Hordes. And that way people can get breathlessly excited, and paranoid, and justify whatever they want to do, which is usually bombing a bunch of people who don't look like them.
I know it won't do any good to say it here, but seriously, people, chill the fuck out. Evil Muslim Hordes aren't going to overrun the world, and terrorists aren't going to sneak up and kill you in your bed. Lots of you are the same folks who talk all the time about the strength of our culture and stuff, so why not take some of that to heart?
It's exactly the same as the old "Communists are going to take over the world!" memes, just with "Islamic Fundamentalism" replacing Communism at every point. And it has as little basis in reality as the former. But people like it because it lets them feel like they're the Last Defenders of the Good and Pure in the Face of the Oncoming Hordes. And that way people can get breathlessly excited, and paranoid, and justify whatever they want to do, which is usually bombing a bunch of people who don't look like them.
I know it won't do any good to say it here, but seriously, people, chill the fuck out. Evil Muslim Hordes aren't going to overrun the world, and terrorists aren't going to sneak up and kill you in your bed. Lots of you are the same folks who talk all the time about the strength of our culture and stuff, so why not take some of that to heart?
